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Mick O’Brien agus Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh: Kitty Lie Over |
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(acm records, ACM CD 102; This is the music I want to hear when I die. Mick O’Brien’s first album, May Morning Dew (with Terry Crehan on fiddle), has long since become one of the staples of my collection, so my expectations were high for this release. They were exceeded. The entire album is just the two lads, no accompaniment, on fiddle and pipes, with the fiddle tuned down to match the flat set of pipes. The result is deep-hearted and wild, infused with the spirit of Denis Murphy and Patrick Kelly—two giants of the last generation, and transports the listener to another realm, one wind-swept and of stark beauty. In this it is like Kevin Crehan’s fine album, and fans of that music will find much to like here. For sure, The Silver Spear needn’t be recorded again, for Mick and Caoimhín have wrung it of its last drop, playing it on the last track for over 3 minutes. I had thought that I heard enough versions of the tune to keep me well into retirement, but I have never heard it like this. Kitty Lie Over is an essential album for fans of pure-drop Irish music, and in years to come will stand as one of the classics of the age. The production quality is good, and the sound of the pipes is captured well. The liner notes sparkle with Caoimhín’s quirky humour and two captivating tracks of whistle duets complement the fiddle and pipe playing. It is all I could ask for. |
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© Brendan Taaffe, 2005. All Rights Reserved. |
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